Transformers Prime: In a New York State of Mind
by PatrickTheWriter
Summary: Knock Out goes in for some much needed repairs. I started writing before "Triage" hit the airwaves, so forget that episode. Watch out for some naughty language.


Transformers Prime: In a New York State of Mind

Battered, beaten, scratched up like he had been tossed into an asteroid field, or even hit by Astrotrain... Knock Out pulled into an auto body shop where he had developed a certain understanding with the mechanics. He sent out a transmission, overloading the streetlights out front before signalling for the garage door to open up. Quietly, his engine rumbled in the night as he pulled into the New York shop. The door slid down behind him.

Being the silent partner in a chain of auto detailing shops did have its benefits when one needed to avoid Megatron for a while. And losing that relic meant his time would be better spent "hunting energon." Blowing off steam taking out the cocky skin jobs who only thought they knew how handle themselves on four wheels would do the trick. Things were just getting too complicated around the Nemesis these days. He sent an email to the shop manager with his requests. Luckily, his damage was only superficial. Lights dimming, he settled into recharge.

oooo

Several hours later, Knock Out rebooted on schedule. Work was already well on its way. He was being repainted, buffed, and waxed back into shape. His rims were off, and new white walls were being put on. As long as long as they didn't look too closely under the hood, he'd pass any ten point inspection.

He appreciated the magical sound of metal work going around him. Humans were best when they served a purpose...his purpose. If only Megatron would let the Decepticons enslave a few for pets... After all, if it was good enough for the Autobots to keep a few around, a few of the fleshlings and their nimble fingers could come in handy.

He settled back down for another, partial shutdown to the thud, thud, thud of the club music they were blasting from a dismantled car stereo mounted up to a plywood board. It soothed his bruised ego. If he wasn't careful, he would wind up in the scrap heap with Breakdown. His spark tried to twinge into aching at the thought, but he clamped down on it. Weakness is not tolerated in the ranks. _Breakdown lives..._ rumbled through his processor as he remembered the secret patch job he'd done on the big bot's optic socket to keep the rust out of his processors.

He should have crushed that creature from the depths, that glitched code-witch Airachnid. He had always known he should have crushed her... His processor idled down, finally, giving up for another few hours.

oooo

He decided to give it a night for them to finish their repairs and keep hiding out. He was a Decepticon, after all, deception being the name of the game. If he had to face old Megs for an execution, he might as well look his best. Getting the royal treatment suited his mood. His systems startled back on as proximity alarms started at a crash in the garage.

The Moon shone down through a hole in the glass of a grubby window. A brick was now next to Knock Out. Two human boys were crawling through.

"Holy shit," The first said. "Is that an Aston?"

"A what?" The other voice said.

"An Aston Martin, you know, like James fucking Bond."

"Who gives a fuck?" The other voice replied. "Just get the tools and lets get out."

"Naw," The first one pulled out a screw driver. "We gots to steal it."

"And do what?"

"I dunno, drive it around? Pick up hotties? Push it into the water?"

Knock Out smirked inwardly, considering the possibilities. With a click, he unlocked his doors.

"Yo," The second one said. "Why is it here?"

"Who gives a fuck? It won't be much longer," The first one said. Knock Out swung his door open slowly. "Look, bro, the door's open an' everything."

"Yeah, that's some creepy shit," The second one looked around as if he was being watched. "It wasn't a second ago."

"Sure it was."

"No," The second one said again, still looking around. He backed away from Knock Out.

"It's just a car. How the fuck would it open on its own?" The first one asked. Knock Out's sensors got a better look at him. He was taller, wearing red. He grabbed the driver's side door, pulling it open. Careful with the parts, Knock Out thought.

"I don't know, but this is stupid. Let's just take the shit before the pawn closes." The shorter one was in blue. Hadn't either of them considered doing their midnight thieving in black? Knock Out wondered.

"Fuck you. Don't be a bitch." Red sat in the front seat and grinned. "Open the damn garage door and get in."

"Fine, whatever." He pushed a button that looked like the door. The Decepticon smirked again before signalling for the door to start opening behind him. It was a good thing his little overhaul was done.

"When the fuck did you get so bossy, Ricky?" Blue asked.

"Since you became a pussy, Carlos," Red said as the other boy snatched open Knock Out's other door. He sat in, putting his seatbelt.

"So, genius, how you going to start it?"

Ricky started looking over the ignition, checking the glove compartment and the visors for a key. "Guess we're going to have to hotwire it."

Knock Out sighed, starting his engine up in a calm purr. A little drive would do just the trick to clear out of the processor.

"The fuck?" Carlos yelped, jumping. "You do that?"

"No..." Ricky jumped when the doors snapped shut and the locks clicked.

"Good morning, Angels" Knock Out said in his sound system. "Are you boys trying to steal me?"

"What?" Carlos asked, swallowing hard. He reached for the door, trying desperately to get the door open. He elbowed the window hard. "Ouch, fuck!" He held his elbow as pain shot up his arm. Making a fist, he slugged Ricky hard.

"Asshole!" Ricky hit the other boy back even harder. "It's just some anti-theft shit."

"No, it is fucking talking to us." Carlos backed up in his seat, sneakers on the cushion. He looked at his friend.

"Are we done?" Knock Out asked, backing up and pulling out.

"Where are you?" Carlos asked.

"Fuck!" Ricky pulled his hands away from the wheel after it'd shocked him when he tried to take control.

"Now that I have your attention," Knock Out replied, starting down the street. "Just what again did you boys have in mind for me? A joyride and a trip to the pier? And all in time for Ricky to tell Lucy he's home, right?"

"Oh fuck," Carlos stared at the waveform on the radio dash. "We're gonna die."

"The fuck we are," Ricky said. "Just some RC shit." He angled his legs up to try to kick out the windshield. Seat belts snaked out around his chest, his legs, strapping him in tightly.

"Now, enough of that," Knock Out replied calmly. "If I wanted you boys dead right now, I'd have done so. But a little drive in the moonlight near the water might do the trick."

"A little drive?" Carlos asked, trying to get his head together.

"A little drive," Knock Out agreed. "Carlos, why don't you hit Ricky one more time. I liked that."

"Uhh," He looked at Ricky again. Ricky glared back at his friend.

"I'm a fickle beast, Carlos."

"Ow, fuck!" Ricky yelled after Carlos walloped him.

Knock Out turned down Broadway. He always did enjoy the lights and the colors against his paint job. Even on Cybertron, he was never one for the theater, but there was something appealing about the streams of people, the tall buildings, the glitter and glitz, the dirt and filth of the little world in the wrong arm of the galaxy.

He ignored the arguing, the insults. Both boys has finally settled down into their seats, resigned to whatever fate he decided for them. He made a few more turns through the streets until he found a quiet spot along the water and transformed...

0000

"I don't know, seems pretty limp," Jack said, holding his pizza slice in half. He held the slice inches from his mouth before hesitating. "You sure Vogel said this is the place?"

"Best pizza in Manhattan?" Miko asked. "He sure did."

Jack took a tentative bite, letting the cheese stretch from his mouth as it burnt his tongue from being fresh out of the oven. "Ow."

Miko giggled, working on her second slice already. "It's better than anything in Jasper that's for sure. Maybe even Tokyo."

"Pizza big in Tokyo?" Jack wondered.

"Everything is," Miko shrugged. "If you know where to look."

"Yeah," Jack frowned, glancing down the street where Arcee leaned, parked on the curb, waiting for them to finish up. Bumblebee had gone ahead to secure the relic, leaving them a couple days of sightseeing. After all, it was the first time either of them had been to New York. It was the first time he had even seen a human skyscraper-

He looked back at Miko, desperate to keep down the slice. Every time he looked up in the city made him dizzy. He could not imagine how anyone could live in a place so enclosed, so high, so noisy all the time.

"How can so many people live so close together?" He wondered. "All the time?"

"Dunno," Miko shrugged. "How can you live around so few people?"

Jack sighed, watching the people. Two apparent gangbangers looking like they'd just walked out of an episode of Law and Order walked past them into the pizzeria.

"Why are they soaking wet?" Miko wondered, reaching for another slice.

"I..." Jack sputtered.

"Fuck you lookin' at?" The one one in a dingy tinged red snarled at Jack.

"Nothing," Jack shrugged.

"I'll tell you what he was looking at," Miko said, getting off her tall chair before Jack put a hand on shoulder.

"Ricky," the one in Blue said, pulling his friend. "Fuck'em."

Jack caught the other one's eye. He looked like he'd been truly frightened for the first time in his life. Hell, he looked like he'd seen a ghost, or an alien...

Ricky glared at Jack, then Miko before smirking and swagger up to her. "So... what's up?"

"'Sup yourself," Miko smirked back.

"Ricky," The other one said impatiently. "We don't have time for this, and after that other thing... Big Paulie ain't gonna listen to out bullshit about that car."

Jack's brow went up before glancing at Miko.

"Fine, whatever, Carlos," Ricky backed away from Miko, his eyes still on her.

Jack thought he looked hungry-and Miko-Jack just sighed. He didn't like any of it. He also didn't like being bullied by a couple of New Yorkers, either. He jumped off his chair. He was just glad the other guy had stopped things before Miko could give Ricky her number.

"I'm going to go check on Arcee. You might as well finish it."

Miko watched the boys slip into the back of the restaurant and then through a door. "You should eat."

"I'll get a burrito when we get home," Jack frowned, pushing his way through the door and back into the night. He checked his watch before walking down to his best friend. He couldn't wait to get home.

A red Aston Martin passed on the street, mixing in the traffic between two yellow cabs. Jack shrugged.

"Is it Knock Out?" He bent down to ask Arcee.

"Yes," She said. "But he's sent up a signal for truce. He's been beaten this time."

"This time," Jack agreed, a shiver going up his spine. The Decepticon was already gone, disappearing into the eternal jungle of traffic.


End file.
